ANNUAL REPORT 2004 ceased to exist. The Commission has expressed its deep concerns and distress on the loss of the golden opportunity for the restoration of permanent peace by addressing the agenda of human rights which the ensuing circumstances had once again led the country to killings, destruction and grave incidents of human rights violations. The Commission has been requesting time and again to find a peaceful solution to the problem through negotiations across the table. The Commission played an important role in the transformation of conflict through the peace process. In separate interactions conducted at the Commission with the high-level Maoist leadership and ministers in the government as well as senior leaders of political parties, the commitment shown by them towards human rights has further inspired the Commission to galvanize its activities.The Commission had called upon both the government and the Maoist for a cease fire. To give permanency to the cease fire declared by both the sides, the Commission had drafted a code of conduct and submitted to both the factions. Even while the cease fire code of conduct was in force, incidents of human rights violation and excesses were being reported from various parts of the country owing to which the Commission in the course of fulfilling its statutory obligations gave continuity to carrying out investigations on reported cases of human rights abuse. In this context, the Commission formed three separate high-level investigation committees under a former judge of the Supreme Court to look into the cases pertaining to incidents that occurred at Doramba of Ramechhap, Dhangadi in Siraha and Nagi in Panchthar while the cease-fire was still in force and to submit a report to the Commission. Based on the on-the-spot investigation report, the Commission, time and again, issued appeals to both the warring factions to honour human rights and humanitarian laws.The Commission has been inspired to proceed with firm commitment in the protection of human rights by the high evaluation of its task of bringing the truth to light through investigation by an independent unit. Aware that the various organs of the state still do not have a clear concept about the Commission, it has successfully conducted orientation programmes for the law enforcement agencies at the regional level and training on human rights monitoring for representatives of various NGOs working in the field of human rights. The Commission expects that this would bring significant improvements in the protection and promotion of human rights in the future. Despite the constraints in resources and minimal budget, the Commission, which has been entrusted with the protection and promotion of human rights, has been taking important initiatives in the protection of human rights. In this context, some vacant positions have been filled in the Commission and in projects under it with the purpose of meeting the human resources requirements of the Commission for the monitoring of human rights. Similarly, the process to fill the vacancies at the regional offices established with the financial support of the European Union are at the final stages after having completed the written as well as the oral tests for the vacancies advertised.This is expected to provide the necessary support in areas where the Commission does not have access in the protection and promotion of human rights. With the Supreme Court of Nepal playing an important role in guaranteeing human rights as provided for in the Constitution, the request by the Apex Court to the Commission to 69